A photoresist supply apparatus of semiconductor coating equipment fills a supply pipe with new photoresist when a used photoresist bottle is replaced. The photoresist supply apparatus includes first and second photoresist bottles, first and second gas supply pipes connected to the bottles, first and second solenoid valves disposed along the gas supply pipes, first and second purge start buttons, first and second photoresist supply pipes, first and second trap tanks to which the supply pipes are connected, a third photoresist supply pipe connected to the trap tanks, a nozzle connected to the third photoresist supply pipe, first and second level sensors disposed at an upper level of the trap tanks, third and fourth level sensors disposed at a lower level of the trap tank, first and second discharge pipes connected to the trap tanks, third and fourth solenoid valves disposed along the discharge pipes, first and second drain sensors associated with the discharge pipes, and a controller.
Legal claims defining the scope of protection, as filed with the USPTO.
1. A photoresist supply apparatus for use in coating equipment, comprising: first and second bottles for use in storing solutions of photoresist; a source of N 2 gas; first and second gas supply pipes each connecting a respective one of the first and second bottles to said source of N 2 gas, whereby the N 2 gas is supplied to said bottle to purge the bottles; first and second solenoid valves disposed along the first and second gas supply pipes, respectively, said first and second solenoid valves each being switchable between respective positions at which the N 2 gas is supplied to and cut off from the bottle connected to the source of N 2 gas; first and second photoresist supply pipes connected to upper parts of the first and second bottles, respectively, to supply photoresist solution from the bottles; first and second trap tanks connected to the first and second photoresist supply pipes, respectively, to receive photoresist supplied from the first and second bottles; a third photoresist supply pipe connected to the first and second trap tanks; a nozzle connected to the third photoresist supply pipe so as to spray the photoresist solution supplied through the third photoresist supply pipe; first and second level sensors each operatively associated with an upper part of a respective one of the first and second trap tanks so as to sense when the photoresist solution in the tank falls below a first level; third and fourth level sensors each operatively associated with a lower part of a respective one of the first and second trap tanks so as to sense when the photoresist solution in the tank falls below a second level lower than said first level; first and second discharge pipes each connected to an upper part of a respective one of the first and second trap tanks so as to allow photoresist solution in the trap tanks to be discharged; third and fourth solenoid valves disposed along the first and second discharge pipes, each of said third and fourth solenoid valves being switchable between respective positions at which the photoresist solution is discharged from a said trap tank through a said discharge pipe and the discharging thereof is cut off; first and second drain sensors operatively associated with said discharge pipes, respectively, so as to sense whether photoresist solution is being discharged through the discharge pipes; first and second purge start buttons operative to generate a purge start key signal when manipulated; and a controller operatively connected to said first and second purge start buttons so as to receive the purge start key signals therefrom, operatively connected to said level sensors so as to receive signals therefrom indicative of the level of photoresist solution in said trap tanks, operatively connected to said drain sensors so as to receive signals therefrom indicative of whether photoresist solution is being discharged through the discharge pipes, and operatively connected to said solenoid valves so as to switch said valves between respective positions thereof based on said purge start key signals and the signals from said drain sensors.
2. The photoresist supply apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to generate an alarm upon receiving a signal from the first or second level sensor, and is further configured to generate an interlock upon receiving a signal from the third or fourth level sensor.
3. A photoresist supply apparatus for use in coating equipment, comprising: a controller; first and second bottles adapted to store photoresist solution; first and second photoresist supply pipes respectively connected to upper parts of the first and second bottles and adapted to supply photoresist solution from the first and second bottles; first and second trap tanks respectively connected to the first and second photoresist supply pipes and adapted to receive photoresist supplied from the first and second bottles; first and second level sensors, each operatively associated with an upper part of a respective one of the first and second trap tanks, each adapted to sense when photoresist solution in the tank falls below a first level and further adapted to provide a first level signal to the controller; third and fourth level sensors, each operatively associated with a lower part of a respective one of the first and second trap tanks, each adapted to sense when photoresist solution in the tank falls below a second level lower than the first level and further adapted to provide a second level signal to the controller; first and second discharge pipes each connected to an upper part of a respective one of the first and second trap tanks and adapted to discharge photoresist solution from the first and second trap tanks respectively; a first drain sensor configured to sense discharge of the photoresist solution from the first trap tank through the first discharge pipe, and further configured to provide a first discharge sense signal to the controller; a second drain sensor configured to sense discharge of the photoresist solution from the second trap tank through the second discharge pipe, and further configured to provide a second discharge sense signal to the controller; first and second purge start buttons configured to generate and provide the controller with first and second purge start key signals, respectively; wherein the controller is configured to control the transfer of photoresist solution from the first bottle to the first trap tank upon receiving the first purge start key, and further configured to control the transfer of photoresist solution from the second bottle to the second trap tank upon receiving the second purge start key.
4. The photoresist supply apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the controller is further configured to control a supply of N 2 gas from a source of N 2 gas to the first and second bottles through first and second gas supply pipes, respectively.
5. The photoresist supply apparatus of claim 4 , further comprising: first and second solenoid valves respectively disposed along the first and second discharge pipes; wherein each one of the first and second solenoid valves is switchable between first and second positions, the first position allowing discharge of photoresist solution from a respective one of the first and second trap tanks through the respective one of the first and second discharge pipes, the second position cutting off discharge of the photoresist solution.
6. The photoresist supply apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the controller is further configured to switch the first and second solenoid valves in response to the first and second purge start key signals, respectively, and in response to the first and second discharge sense signals.
7. The photoresist supply apparatus of claim 6 , further comprising: a third photoresist supply pipe connected to the first and second trap tanks; and, a nozzle connected to the third photoresist supply pipe and configured to spray photoresist solution.
8. The photoresist supply apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the controller is further configured to generate an alarm upon receiving the first level signal, and to generate an interlock upon receiving the second level signal.
9. A photoresist supply apparatus for use in coating equipment, comprising: a controller; a bottle adapted to store photoresist solution; a trap tank adapted to receive photoresist solution from the bottle through a photoresist supply pipe; a discharge pipe connected to the trap tank and adapted to discharge photoresist solution from the trap tank; a drain sensor operatively associated with the discharge pipe and adapted to provide a discharge sense signal to the controller when photoresist solution is discharged from the trap tank; a purge start button configured to generate a purge start key signal and provide the purge start key signal to the controller; wherein the controller is configured to control the transfer of photoresist solution from the bottle to the trap tank in response to the purge start key; a first level sensor operatively associated with the trap tank to provide a first level signal to the controller upon sensing that the photoresist solution in the tank has fallen below a first level; and, a second level sensor operatively associated with the trap tank to provide a second level signal to the controller upon sensing that the photoresist solution in the tank falls below a second level lower than the first level.
10. The photoresist supply apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the controller is further configured to control a supply of N 2 gas from a source of N 2 gas to the bottle through a gas supply pipe connecting the bottle to the source of N 2 gas.
11. The photoresist supply apparatus of claim 10 , further comprising: a first solenoid valve disposed along the gas supply pipe, wherein the first solenoid valve is switchable between respective positions allowing or cutting off the supply of N 2 gas to the bottle; and, a second solenoid valve disposed along the discharge pipe, wherein the second solenoid valve is switchable between respective positions allowing or cutting off discharge of the photoresist solution from the trap tank.
12. The photoresist supply apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the controller is further configured to switch the first and second solenoid valves in response to the purge start key signal and the discharge sense signal.
13. The photoresist supply apparatus of claim 12 , further comprising: a second photoresist supply pipe connected to the trap tank; and, a nozzle connected to the second photoresist supply pipe and configured to spray photoresist solution.
14. The photoresist supply apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the controller is configured to generate an alarm upon receiving the first level signal, and generate an interlock upon receiving the second level signal.
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September 16, 2004
March 21, 2006
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